Locking mechanism for folding seats



April 1966 A. E. KRUEGER ETAL LOCKING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING SEATS 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 11. 1960 A ril 19, 1966 A. E. KRUEGERETAL 3,246,924

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING SEATS Original Filed Aug. 11, 1960 4Sheets-Sheet 2 QXW A ril 19, 1966 A. E. KRUEGER ETAL 3,246,924

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING SEATS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 11. 1960INVENTORJ a a mm M a/ 0 M. W 5M A d fix 0 April 19, 1966 A, E. UEG E A3,246,924

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING SEATS Original Filed Aug. 11. 1960 4Sheets-Sheet 4 A TTOR/VE) United States Patent LOCKING MECHANISM FORFOLDING SEATS Alfred E. Krueger, Detroit, and Bewley D. Priestman,

Grosse Pointe, Mich, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit,Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application Aug. 11, 1960,Ser. No. 48,924, now

Patent No. 3,121,585, dated Feb. 18, 1964. Divided and this applicationMay 29, 1963, Ser. No. 284,130

9 Claims. (Cl. 29666) This invention relates to vehicle seats and, moreparticularly, to locking mechanism associated with a folding vehicleseat.

This application is a division of our co-pending application Serial No.48,924 entitled Locking Mechanism for Folding Seats, filed August 11,1960 now Patent No. 3,121,585.

Automobiles having station wagon bodies are commonly provided withfolding seats that provide an auxiliary floor for transportation ofvarious articles. When the seats are'in a folded position which providesthe auxiliary floor, we have found it desirable to provide latchingmechanism to maintain the seat in the folded floor-forming position.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide improved latchingmechanism for holding a folding seat in anauxiliary floor-formingposition. Another object of this invention is to provide latchingmechanism for a folding seat structure comprising a pivoted seat backwhich may be pivoted downwardly to a position in which the rear of theseat back provides an extension of the deck or floor of an automobileluggage compartment. A further object of this invention is to providelatching means associated with an auxiliary floor-forming plateassociated with the seat back and latch control mechanism operable inresponse to downward floor-forming positioning of the seat back. Still afurther object of this invention is to provide locking means associatedwith the folding seat to prevent unauthorized access to the area beneaththe auxiliary floor.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be comprehended fromthe following detailed description and the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a foldable vehicle seat in anupright or seat-forming position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a foldable vehicle seat embodyingthe present invention, in a folded or floor-forming position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the latchingmechanism associated with the foldable vehicle seat shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detail view of another portion of the latchingmechanism on the seat-forming position;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail view of the latching apparatus shown inFIGURE 4 in the folded position;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a detail view of alternative latching mechanism useable withthe apparatus shown inv FIG-. URE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a partial elevational view of a portion of anotheralternative embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 1tl1tl in FIGURE 9;

portion of the embodiment of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view taken along the line 7 FIGURE 14 is asectional view taken along the line 14-14 in FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 15 is a side elevational view of another portionof the embodimentshown in FIGURE 13; and

FIGURE 16 is a sectional view taken along the line 1616 in FIGURE 15.

Referring now to the drawings, a seat back -10 is pivotally supported ona hinge 12 about the pivotal connection 14 and is movable from theupright seat-forming position shown in FIGURE 1 to the folded auxiliaryfloor-forming position shown in FIGURE 2. An auxiliary floor-formingpanel 16 is pivotally connected to the lower edge of the seat back by ahinge 18. In the illustrative embodiment, the seat described is therearwardly facing third seat of the current station wagon designs. Anupwardly extending portion of the vehicle floor panel 20 is provided inthe space adjacent the seat back 10 in the upright position and includesan auxiliary floorforming top surface 22. A support bracket 24 is fixedto the panel portion 20 and supports a pin member 26 having one endextended to'provide a striker 28 as shown.

in FIGURE 6. It is to be understood that a similar pin member and thehereinafter described associated latching mechanism may be provided onboth sides of the seat. A roller member 30 is rotatably supported on thepin member 26 and is engageable with an outwardly curved portion 32 ofthe auxiliary floor-forming panel 16 in the floor-forming position. Asthe seat back 10 is moved between the upright position and thefloor-forming position, the underside of the auxiliary'fioor-form-ingpanel 16 slidingly engages the roller member 34 as the auxiliary panelrotates on the hinge 18 relative to the seat back between an uprightposition closely substantially parallelly adjacent the seat back and anauxiliary floorforming position. As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, a hookplate 34 is suitably secured to the underside of the auxiliaryfloor-forming panel 16 and has a hook extension 36 positioned outwardlyaway from and parallel to a guide surface 37 that is contiguous with thecurved portion 32 so that the hook extension will be positioned behindthe striker portion 28 of the pin member 26 as the auxiliaryfloor-forming panel 16 slides downwardly on the roller members 30 to thefloor-forming position. Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, the upper endof the seat back 10 is provided with a conventional key cylinder 38which is operatively associated with a locking plate 40 adapted tolockingly engage a striker flange 42 provided on the vehicle bodyadjacent auxiliary floorforming position of the upper end of the seatback.

An alternative latching construction is illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8and comprises a U-shaped hook member 44 that is suitably secured to theoutwardly curved surface 37 of the auxiliary floor-forming panel 16 andadapted for engagement with a striker bar 46 secured to the floor panelportion 20 by a tapping plate 48 or other suitable device.

Referring now to FIGURES 9 and 10, a modification providing latchactuating mechanism responsive to seat back positioning is illustratedand comprises a striker flange 50 welded or otherwise suitably fastenedto the underside of the auxiliary floor-forming panel 16 inwardly of theoutwardly curved surface 37. A .rod member 52 having a transversely benthook portion 53 is rotatably supported by a bracket 54 secured to a sidepanel of the vehicle body or other suitable support and is adapted forlatching engagement with the striker flange 50 in the floor-formingposition. Atorsion spring 56 biases the hook portion 53 toward anunlatched position. The hook portion 53 is formed integrally with thecontrol rod 52 and is rotatably supported by bushings 60, 62 which aresecured to the bracket 54. The control rod extends rearwardly beneaththe auxiliary floor line to a position adjacent the top of the seat backin the auxiliary floorforming position. As shown in FIGURES 11 and 12,the rearward end of the control rod 52 is upwardly bent to form anactuator arm '64 that is engageable with a portion of the seat back andis provided with a spring member 66 to bias the actuator arm in anupwardly extending position shown in phantom in FIGURE 12. The rod isrotatably supported within bushings 68, 70 attached to a bracket 72 thatis fixed to a side panel of the vehicle body or other suitable support.As hereinbefore described, a key cylinder 38, locking plate 40 andstriker flange 42 are provided to lock the seat back in the auxiliaryfloor-forming position.

Referring now to FIGURES l3 and 14, an alternative latch-actuatingarrangement is shown in the form of a reciprocable control rod 74- thatis connected to a hook arm 76 by a bell crank 78. A bracket 80 is fixedto the floor-forming panel and rotatably supports the hook arm 76 andthe bell crank 78. A spring 82 is provided to bias the hook arm to anunlatched position. The other end of the control rod is shown in FIGURES15 and 16 to be connected to an actuator arm 84 rotatably mounted on abracket 86 fixed to a vehicle body side panel. A spring clip 83 connectsthe control rod 74 and the actuator arm, and spring member 82 biases theactuator arm upwardly and outwardly into the path of the seat back 10during its rotative movement from an upright position to the auxiliaryfloor-forming position as shown in phantom in FIGURE 16. As before, akey cylinder 38, locking plate 40 and striker flange 42 are provided tolock the seat in the auxiliary floor-forming position.

In operation of the latching means shown in FIGURES 18, the seat back 10is rotated downwardly about the pivotal connection 14 to cause theauxiliary floor-forming panel 16 to slide downwardly on the rollermember until the outwardly curved portion 32 engages the roller member.The hook portion 36 of the plate 34 is thereby positioned behind thestriker 28 of the roller pin 26 to prevent outward, upward movement ofthe auxiliary floor-forming panel 26 about the hinge IS without movementof the seat back It In the floor-forming position the key cylinder 38may be actuated to rotate the locking plate 4% into locking engagementwith the striker flange 42 to prevent upward movement of the seat backand consequently the auxiliary floor-forming panel 16. In themodifications shown in FIGURES 9-16, the latching mechanism associatedwith the floor forming panel 2t) is actuated to :a latching positionthrough a control rod 52 or 74 that is connected to an actuator arm 64or 84, positioned in the downward rotative path of the seat back 10. Asthe seat back is lowered into the auxiliary floor-forming position, theactuator arm 64 or 84 is forced downwardly against the bias of theassociated spring means to actuate the control rod 52 or 74 and rotatethe hook arm 53 or 76 into latching engagement with the striker 50against the unlatching bias of the associated spring memher. In theauxiliary floor-forming position the key cylinder 38' may be actuated torotate the locking plate beneath the striker flange 42 and secure theseat in the auxiliary floor-forming position. t

It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.Accordingly, the invention is not intended to be limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and arrangement of the partsillustrated in the accompanying drawings, except insofar as limited bythe prior art and as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In foldable vehicle seat structure having auxiliary floor-formingportions associated therewith, a vehicle seat movable in a pivotal pathfrom a normal occupant accommodating position to a collapsed auxiliaryfloorforming position, means responsive to the position of said seat tolatch said seat in said floor-forming position, said means comprising,roller means fixed to said vehicle, an

4 auxiliary floor-forming plate pivotally fixed to said seat andslidably engaged with said roller means, a shaft rotatably supportingsaid roller means, a striker formed by an extension of said shaft, andlatch means fixed to said plate and lockingly en-gageable with saidstriker when said piate is in the floor-forming position.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim I and having a locking plate rotatablyfixed to said seat, a key cylinder associated with said locking plate, astriker fiange fixedly secured adjacent the locking plate when said seatis in the auxiliary floor-forming position, and key means to rotate saidlocking plate into locking engagement with said striker flange.

3. In foldable vehicle seat apparatus having a pivotally supported seatback adapted for pivotal movement from an upright seat-forming positionto a horizontal auxiliary floor-forming position, and comprising, anauxiliary floorforming plate pivotally connected to said seat back andadapted to be paralleily supported closely adjacent the seat back in theupright seat-forming position, roller means rotatably secured adjacentthe auxiliary floorforming plate in the horizontal floor-formingposition, said auxiliary floor-forming plate being slidably engageablewith said roller means during the pivotal movement of said seat back,striker means associated with said roller means, and a latching memberassociated with said auxiliary floor plate and positioned for latchingengagement with said striker means in the auxiliary floor-formingposition.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 and having latching meansassociated with said seat back in said auxiliary floor-forming position,and actuating mechanism to lock said seat back in said auxiliaryfloor-forming position.

5. In combination with a vehicle having a floor, a seat mounted forpivotal movement relative to said floor and having a auxiliaryfloor-forming portion, said seat being movable between an occupantaccommodating seat-forming position and a folded floor-forming position,an auxiliary floor-forming plate pivotally mounted adjacent saidauxiliary floor-forming portion, said auxiliary floor-forming platebeing responsive to movement of said seat for movement from a storedposition when said seat is in seat-forming position to anauxiliaryfloor-forming position when said seat is in floor-forming position,biasing means for automatically moving said auxiliary floor-formingplate between said positions, and latching means responsive to theposition of said seat for securing said auxiliary floor-forming plate insaid auxiliary floor-forming position, said latching mean-s comprising astriker secured to said floor and a hook secured to said auxiliaryfloor-forming plate for coacting with said striker to secure saidauxiliary floonforming plate from movement when said seat is in saidfloor-forming position.

6. In combination with a vehicle having a floor memher, a seat mountedfor pivotal movement relative to said floor member, said se'at beingmovable between an occupant accommodating seatforming position and afolded floor-forming position, an auxiliary floor-forming memberpivotally secured to said seat and slidably contacting said fioormember, said auxiliary floor-forming member being responsive to movementof said seat for automatic movement from a stored position adjacent andsubstantially' parallel to said seat when said seat is in seat-formingposition to an extended auxiliary floor-forming position when said seatis moved to floor-forming position, and latching means responsive to theposition of said seat for securing said auxiliary floor-forming memberin said auxiliary floor-forming position, said latching means comprisinga striker secured to one of said members and a hook secured to the otherof said members being positioned thereon for engagement with saidstriker when said auxiliary floor-forming member is moved to extendedposition by the movement of said seat to folded floor-forming position.

'7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said latching meansincludes a striker associated with said auxili'ary floor-forming member,a latch control rod slidably supported beneath the floor-formingsurfaces of said auxiliary floor-forming member and said seat in saidfolded floor-forming position, a latch arm rotatably supported beneathsaid auxiliary floor-forming member adjacent said striker, spring meansbiasing said latching arm to a position of disengagement relative tosaid striker, a bellcrank linking said control rod and said latch arm,an actuator arm pivotally supported beneath said seat in saidfloor-forming position and controllably linked to said control rod,means biasing said actuator arm to an upwardly extending position in thepath of said seat during movement between said seat-forming position andsaid floorforming position, and said seat contacting said actuator armduring movement from said seat-forming position to said floor-formingposition for actuating said latching mechanism.

8. The apparatus as claimed in' claim 6 wherein said latching meansincludes a striker bar secured to said floor member, a hook secured onsaid auxiliary member being positioned for engaging said striker barwhen said auxiliary member is moved into said auxiliary floor-formingposition by the movement of said seat into floor-forming positionwhereby said auxiliary plate is secured from all movement other thanthat initiated by said seat.

9. In combination with a foldable seat having 'a pivotal connection to avehicle floor for movement from an upright seat-forming position to afolded floor-forming position, an auxiliary plate pivotally connected tosaid vehicle seat and responsive to movement of said seat for movementfrom a stored position when said seat is in seatforming position to anauxiliary floor-forming plate position when said seat is in a foldedfloor-forming position, a pin secured to said floor, a roller memberrotatably mounted on said pin for slidably contacting said auxiliaryplate during movement between said stored position and said auxiliaryfloor-forming plate position, a hook secured on said auxiliary platebeing positioned for engaging a portion of said pin when said auxiliaryplate is slidably and pivotally moved into said auxiliary floor-formingplate position -by the movement of said seat into floor-forming positionwhereby said auxiliary plate is secured from all movement other thanthat initiated by said seat.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,927,818 -3/1960 Ferrara 296-66 2,997,335 8/ 1961 May 29666 3,008,755 11/1961 Hale296-66 3,114,570 '12/ 1963 Farrow et al 296-66 FOREIGN PATENTS 928,5066/ 1855 Germany.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

LEO FRIAGLIA, Examiner.

ROBERT C. PODWIL, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN FOLDABLE VEHICLE SEAT STRUCTURE HAVING AUXILIARY FLOOR-FORMINGPORTIONS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, A VEHICLE SEAT MOVABLE IN A PIVOTAL PATHFROM A NORMAL OCCUPANT ACCOMMODATING POSITION TO A COLLAPSED AUXILIARYFLOORFORMING POSITION, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE POSITION OF SAID SEAT TOLATCH SAID SEAT IN SAID FLOOR-FORMING POSITION, SAID MEANS COMPRISING,ROLLER MEANS FIXED TO SAID VEHICLE, AN AUXILIARY FLOOR-FORMING PLATEPIVOTALLY FIXED TO SAID SEAT AND SLIDABLY ENGAGED WITH SAID ROLLERMEANS, A SHAFT ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID ROLLER MEANS, A STRIKER FORMEDBY AN EXTENSION OF SAID SHAFT, AND LATCH MEANS FIXED TO SAID PLATE ANDLOCKINGLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID STRIKER WHEN SAID PLATE IS IN THEFLOOR-FORMING POSITION.